From: "Schultz, Nancy" Subject: RE: [7th Sea RPG GM] Drachentanze Swordsman School Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 11:52:30 -0500 This is why I turned you guys loose on it. :) > > [Vargus, upon hearing an Eisen Drachentanzer across a field]: > "What the..!? What in Legion's name is that awful noise!?" > > [An Eisen friend, who shudders]: "You've never known fear, > my friend -- until you've seen an Eisen opera!" > I get the feeling I should defend German opera here, but I won't. :) > > The Flaw of Drachentanze is that much of it is show. If the > > opponent can determine which is bluff and which is threat, > > the Drachentanzen true strength, or lack there of, is > > exposed. > > Given the nature of the Eisen and their warlike ways, I'm > only half-convinced that they would have a school like this... > > I mean, the Eisen would see value in having a very good > feint, but they would be pretty sure to follow it up with > a solid attack.. > > And if someone knows of the Drachentanze technique, and > publically declares that it is mostly show, doesn't it just > kick the wind out of the (now silly-looking) tanzer? > > (Of course, if a tanzer were to carefully have his or her > henchman in the crowd... and then when people ask, "What is > this fool doing, dancing and singing?", this servant could > cross themselves and speak in reverant and fearful quiet > tones, "That is the dreaded Drachentanzen martial art! I > have heard of such a monstrous art as this, which takes as > its drum the fearful beating of the opponent's heart, and > as it's lyre the singing of the blade!")... > The idea here is that the technique arose from the staged combat of martial Passion Plays which I am sure a people like the Eisen would have had. I'm assuming I don't have to explain Passion Plays. :) It was made to impress the masses, and not do any serious damage, when it was just used for the Dramas. However, most stage combat techniques can be modified to do real damage with little effort, which is where the true fighting originated from. But it kept a lot of the Flash which impressed people who weren't familiar with it's origins, and as more secular drama came to the forefront, people forgot the Passion Plays, even in Eisen. > > > > Apprentice: The Drachentanzen is first taught to bring the > > Dance into his defense. > > The Drachentanzen gains One Free Raise to Parry (Heavy > > Weapons), and may use Dancing as Footwork (Alternately if > > footwork is added as a basic Knack of Heavy weapons in your > > game, add Dancing to all Passive Defense ratings (Parry 3 and > > Dancing 3 gives a Parry Passive defense of 23)) > > Hmmm.. Wouldn't (3+3)*5 be 30? Or am I forgetting something? > Adding to TN as points, not "dice", or else it's a bit too strong for Apprentice level. > > > > Journeyman: At this level, the Drachentanzen learns how to > > direct the battlesong to dishearten his opponents. The > > battlesong of the Drachentanzen is properly sung throughout > > the fight. Combining the ring of battle with the > > Drachentanzen's own Song can often defeat an opponent's will, > > if not his body. > > > > Roll Singing + Wits each round. TN= Opponent's Finessex5 +5. > > Every X number of successful rolls/rounds in a row (where X= > > opponent's resolve) the opponent looses a Drama Die. If the > > Singing roll is failed or silenced during the round, the > > opponent regains any drama dice lost in this fashion and the > > song must begin again. > > Hmm.. Why not make a Singing + Wits roll against TN 15, and > for each success and raise the tanzer gets an actual Fear > level? They could actually inspire true fear, rather than > just intimidation... I like this one better. Thank you. > > > > Master: As the Drachentanzen master brings his blade fully > > into the dance, he can find unusual opportunities for attack, > > and utilize them. The Drachentanzen rolls Dancing Dice. Each > > die that matches an Action die grants 1 additional Action in > > that phase, which may only be used to attack. > > Too many actions slow down the combat... How about something > like an improved Feint or Riposte? > > Or perhaps an "unstoppable attack", which, while not > unstoppable, cannot be stopped with a Passive Defence? (In > other words, it must be defended with an Active Defence, > because the tanzer has already counted the defender's > Passive Defence into their song.) Ah. This is actually the kind of thing I was looking for, but all the ones I came up with seemed to powerful. I'll go with this one too. Thank you very much for your suggestions. --Nancy -- Contents Copyright (C) 1997,98,99 by ALDERAC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC.